Mercury MESSENGER Update Thread

[3488]

Arecibo radar image of North Polar craters on Mercury, unseen by<br />Mariner 10.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Animation of MESSENGER & Venus Express, during the MESSENGER<br />encounter.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Thought I would bung this one in.<br /><br />A rather nice prelaunch shot of the Delta 2 with<br />MESSENGER aboard. <br /><br />Tuesday 3rd August 2004.<br /><br />High resolution here.<br /><br /><br />I sincerely hope we get to start seeing the new Venus data ASAP.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[rybanis]

Horray for Messenger for imparting some of it's orbital energy to Venus. So often our probes steal vital orbital energy from the planets! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> Good one Rybanis!!<br /><br />We gave back a lot this time, too. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[mvp347]

Anymore pictures of Venus? They haven't really put up much on MESSENGER's home page.

 

[3488]

Post deleted by 3488 <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Just received this from JHU. <br /><br />Brilliant, fab news. <br />========================================================= <br />Mr. Brown, <br /><br />The second encounter with Venus by the MESSENGER Spacecraft has gone very well, <br />all of the data from the spacecraft was received on the ground Friday. <br />The science team is working on interpreting and calibrating the data. <br />Preliminary results should be out soon. <br /><br />Sincerely, <br /><br />Eric J. Finnegan <br />MESSENGER Mission System Engineer <br />Johns Hopkins University <br />Applied Physics Laboratory <br />Email:...Eric.Finnegan@jhuapl.edu <br /><br />===================================================================== <br /><br />Please, people, keep checking. <br /><br />I will post some images on here, when they arrive, unless <br />I am beaten to it!!!! <br /><br />Andrew Brown. <br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

First Venus images from the Second Venus encounter.<br /><br />Six views during departure.<br /><br />After acquiring hundreds of high-resolution images during close approach to Venus, <br />MESSENGER turned its wide-angle camera back to the planet and acquired a departure sequence. <br />These images provide a spectacular good-bye to the cloud-shrouded planet while<br />also providing valuable data to the camera calibration team.<br /><br />The first image was taken June 6 at 12:58 UTC (8:58 p.m. EDT on June 5), and the<br />final image on June 7 at 02:18 UTC (10:18 p.m. EDT on June 6). During this 25 hour, <br />20 minute period the spacecraft traveled 833,234 kilometers (517,748 miles—<br />more than twice the distance from the Earth to the moon) <br />with respect to Venus at an average speed of 9.13 kilometers per second <br />(5.67 miles per second).<br /><br />JHU/APL.<br /><br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

The MESSENGER spacecraft snapped a series of images as it approached <br />Venus on June 5. The planet is enshrouded by a global layer of clouds that obscures <br />its surface to the MESSENGER Dual Imaging System (MDIS) cameras.<br /><br />This single frame is part of a color sequence taken to help the MESSENGER team calibrate the<br />camera in preparation for the spacecraft’s first flyby of Mercury on January 14, 2008. <br />Over the next several months the camera team will pore over the 614 images taken <br />during this Venus encounter to ascertain color sensitivity and other optical <br />properties of the instrument. These tasks address two key goals for the camera at Mercury: <br />understanding surface color variations and their relation to compositional <br />variations in the crust, and ensuring accurate cartographic placement of <br />features on Mercury’s surface.<br /><br />Preliminary analysis of the Venus flyby images indicates that the cameras are healthy <br />and will be ready for next January’s close encounter with Mercury.<br /><br />JHU/APL.<br /><br />Andrew Brown.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Great stuff Anfrew, thanks.<br /><br />Good thing they told us it was a color image <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Very true my friend. It is absolutely brilliant stuff.<br /><br />Looking forward to seeing the rest. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Yes I agree. I colour image of Venus, is well, pretty monochrome!!!!!!<br /><br />So yes, it was good they told us!!!<br /><br />Andrew Brown.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Movie of a receding crescent Venus from MESSENGER.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[alokmohan]

On September 13, MESSENGER will reach the two billion-mile mark, placing the spacecraft about two-fifths of the way toward its destination to orbit Mercury. "This type of milestone is an impressive measure of how far we've traveled," says MESSENGER Principal Investigator Sean Solomon. <br /><br />"We can't take our craft into the shop for its two billion-mile check-up, but our experienced team is doing everything we can to ensure that at the end our journey our mission will be accomplished in full.http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.nl.html?pid=25442<br />

 

[brellis]

MESSENGER passes 2 Billion Mile mark <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#ff0000"><em><strong>I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better.</strong></em></font> </p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

MESSENGER’s Radio Science (RS) team recently completed a month-long orbit simulation test to measure Doppler performance using the probe’s low-gain radio frequency (RF) antennas. The test was conducted in an environment similar to one MESSENGER will encounter during its Mercury orbit phase in 2011-12.<br /><br />The Radio Science team will use MESSENGER’s RF and telecommunications systems to study several aspects of Mercury. The frequency of MESSENGER’s radio signal, as received by the Deep Space Network (DSN) ground stations, depends on the velocity of the spacecraft as seen from Earth. The large, powerful DSN antennas in California, Spain, and Australia are operated by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.<br /><br />“By monitoring small changes in radio frequency, we can determine the velocity and acceleration of the MESSENGER spacecraft,†explains Radio Science Instrument Scientist Mark Perry of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md., adding that the frequency changes are called Doppler shifts. “Measuring the very slight changes in MESSENGER’s velocity allows us to derive variations in Mercury’s gravity with great precision. The gravity field then tells us how mass is distributed on and within Mercury, particularly variations in the thickness of the crust, the deep structure of such features as craters and mountains, and even the size of the planet’s core.â€<br /><br />During the orbit simulation test — conducted from August 20 to September 19 — MESSENGER’s trajectory carried it nearly along the path of Mercury’s orbit. On 10 separate occasions the team assessed the quality of Doppler observations by collecting an hour of tracking data using the low-gain antennas.<br /><br />“This campaign has given us hard data on the performance of MESSENGER and the DSN ground system in the configuration that they will have during the orbital phase of the mission,†says Perry. The team also hopes to see how variations in s <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[brellis]

That's a really smart idea. They can get some ideas about what they'll be looking at when MESSENGER reaches orbit.<br /><br />So it's not only software that can be improved during the cruise phase - DSN hardware is getting better and better, too. It's fascinating to consider how DSN improvements allow us to continue receiving telemetry from the Voyagers.<br /><br />Curious Q: can adaptive optics make earth-based receivers compatible with some kind of integrated space-based receivers? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#ff0000"><em><strong>I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better.</strong></em></font> </p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Re Curious Q....<br /><br />Maybe I'm dense (not unexpected <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> ) but I don't understand the question. Can you clarify? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[brellis]

I was out of my mind. Need more coffee. <img src="/images/icons/crazy.gif" /><br /><br />*slurrp* - ok, I'm better.<br /><br />I confused adaptive optics on earth-based scopes with DSN receivers. That does raise the question: how does earth's atmosphere affect DSN? Would a DSN-type network be more effective in space? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#ff0000"><em><strong>I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better.</strong></em></font> </p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Damn, I've already switched from coffee to apple cider and beer <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Yes the atmosphere does effect the DSN, but since the purpose is to collect photons (radio ones) rather than precisely determine a position, it's not as much of an issue. It does cause some time delays, and since the atmosphere is not transparent to radio waves (depending on frequency) it could be more effective in space. However, if the tradeoff is spending 10 billion building a great space based DSN, but having no money to send probes out there to send data..... <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[brellis]

Can the principle of adaptive optics be applied to radio reception? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#ff0000"><em><strong>I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better.</strong></em></font> </p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

An interesting question.<br /><br />I would suspct not, but I'm just free thinking here.<br /><br />What makes adaptive optics work is you can very rapidly deform mirrors in response to incoming wavefronts. But light has very short wavelngths. The mirror segents are small and light. Radio waves are much longer, so you would need to rapidly deform meter long, or hundred of meters long mirrors just as fast. Physics can get in the way there <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Another factor is, adaptive optics rely on a laser illuminating a very small point in the upper atmosphere, and the measured delays driving the mirror flexing.<br /><br />I'm not sure (though do not know) that there is a reliable, small enough layer you could illuminate with a small enough source at radio wavelengths.<br /><br />Just off the top of my head thoughts. Great Idea!! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

New information regarding the Mercury 1 encounter in January. <img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" /><br /><br />Looking very interesting. <img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" /><br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> Happy Boxing Day everyone. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[vogon13]

Quite a bit of work has been done on TV ATSC receivers in regards to immunity to reception problems. IIRC, we are up to what is referred to as 5th generation hardware now. I know I am getting customers over the air HDTV to work in places where analog reception is impossible due to multipath reception.<br /><br /><br />{I am suspecting atmospheric scintallation might more closely esemble multipath than other reception problems}<br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[3488]

Don't know if anyone is interested in attending? I would if I could. <img src="/images/icons/mad.gif" /><br /><br />First enounter with Mercury in 33 years.<br /><br />This encounter, we will see the Caloris Basin in full & one third of the unimaged hemisphere<br />during the outbound phase. Should also get to see a little of the Skinakas Basin.<br /><br />RADAR will measure topography at closest approach over the night side.<br /><br />The outbound side will show the new areas of Mercury, at least at a similar resolution, if not <br />a little higher in places as Mariner 10. Full spectral images will be obtained, outlining <br />minerological distribution of the regions in sunlight.<br /><br />Mercury will appear as a fat 40% crescent inbound & a 60% gibbous outbound.<br /><br />The inbound images will show features already seen by Mariner 10, but with sunlit from almost<br />the opposite direction, to how Mariner 10 saw them.<br /><br />3 D images can then be generated from the Mariner 10 & MESSENGER images of these features.<br /><br />Currently MESSENGER 5.856 million KM from Mercury & Mercury is displaying a 2% crescent, as<br />MESSENGER is approaching Mercury from 'behind'.<br /><br />Over the next few days, the crescent will increase to 40% & some distant imaging <br />should be possible.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>